Trembling With the Strings

“Antonio, are you in the back room or what?” Robbie called out as soon as we walked into the rather modest shop.

It had a very antique feel to it, and I liked it. I could smell dust, but not the kind that makes you sneeze. It smelled like fresh wood mixed with clean brass. I checked the urge to run over to the Fazoili in the shop window, and I followed Robbie to the oak counter as he rung the service bell.

“Toni!” he shouted, smacking on the wood instead.

“Maybe he’s not here,” I muttered, grabbing his arm and tugging on it. “I don’t need you breaking the store and ruining my chance of getting a nice job.”

“Oh, Toni and I go way back.” I couldn’t help but grin. “Not like that, Gracie! God, you’re ridiculous.”

I opened my mouth to defend myself, but suddenly Robbie was knocked away from me. I stifled a gasp as I saw a brunette boy pinning him to the ground, ruffling his hair. He looked to be about twenty. Robbie groaned something, shoving the muscular man off of him. The man stood up, laughing and clapping my friend on the back. Robbie nearly toppled over, but he caught himself.

“Hey, do you have any job openings? Answer before you kill me,” he muttered, rubbing his neck tenderly.

“Why? I thought you had a nice job at some place corporate or something,” he told him, making a face.

“It’s not for me. It’s for my friend.” Robbie pointed over at me, the girl gaping at the counter. I smiled nervously and waved awkwardly, staring at the massive man that was striding up to me.

“And who would you be?” he asked me, his voice husky as he looked down on me.

“Gracie,” I squeaked, swallowing a breath.

“Ease up on the poor girl,” Robbie muttered, coming to my rescue from the burly man. “She’s been through a lot. Can you get her a job or what?”

“I guess.” He scratched the back of his head, turning to look at me again. “Why do you want to work here, of all places?”

“The Fazoili,” I muttered, daring to look him in the eyes. Amusement was on his face, and I didn’t understand it.

“This is a family-run business, Gracie. It’s been that way for fifty years. And I like you. I normally don’t do this, but you’re a friend of my Robbie here,” he told me, slinging his arm over my shoulder and laughing. I tried to slink into myself, but he pulled me back up. “Know what? When can you start?”

I smiled up at him. “Really?” I asked, stumbling for words. “Thank you so much! I—I don’t know what to say.”

“You can say, ‘Today, Tony.’”

“What?”

“I asked you a question!” he reminded me, chuckling as he pulled his hands back to himself and shoved them into his pockets. “Do you want to start today? Or do you got some plans with some boy tonight?”

“Nope, I’m free,” I told him, mouthing a thank-you to Robbie. He smiled.

“Great! How about you start today and work for the rest of the week? Unless you don’t want to see me that often.”

I nearly choked on those words. It was like Darius was saying those same words again…

“Unless you don’t want to see me that often.”

“No!” I nearly screamed, reaching out and grabbing his wrist. I couldn’t watch him leave again! I just couldn’t. “It’s not too much at all. It’s not enough, actually.”

He let out a soft laugh, smiling the smile that I was so used to seeing on Darius’ face. I started grinning, nearly convincing myself that it was Darius that I was laughing with. He slung his arm around my shoulder.

“Alright, I’ll show you around. Rob, you’re welcome to look around and actually buy something for once,” he called, waving his free hand in the air.

“Music isn’t my thing. I’ll leave you to it,” he muttered.

Then something hit me. Music was something Dray loved, and I loved it, too.

But the Fazoili wasn’t the only thing I had been thinking about when I decided to work in a music store. No; there was a small chance that Darius would walk through that door in need of a new guitar string, or maybe he’d need a new drum or saxophone.

The piano was the second on my list of reasons, and Darius was definitely the first. Maybe that’s not such a good thing…